Tag: Velvet

Keeping It Warm and Sun-Safe With A Velvet Coat

The arrival of colder weather is our cue to reach into the back of our wardrobes for coats that will keep us warm and protected.  And if you’re bound to be wrapped up in a coat all day long, it’s sartorially-wise to wear one that elevates your entire outfit.

The velvet trend

Enter the velvet trend. This 2016, the ever glamorous fabric is topping the lineup of trends for autumn. Hailing from the fashion in the noughties, the velvet trend is an effortless way to bring our wardrobe basics up a notch. This time around, designers offer us a spectrum of choices: from boots, to jumpsuits, to shirts, there’s a velvet piece to wear and love.  Few fabrics are as luxurious as this: you could totally jump out of the bed, put something velvet on and be dressed for the day. As a bonus, the thick material offers higher UPF than lightweight cotton.

My Look

I chose to wear a crushed velvet number from Isa Arfen. It’s a loose-fitting lilac coat with a voluminous collar that isn’t hard to miss. The crushed texture gives it a cloudy, but rich effect–it’s slightly more offbeat than the usual velvet fabric. The huge bow was a dramatic embellishment that made the coat dressier than it already is–this is what I admire about the designer. Serafina Sama is unafraid to mix trendier silhouettes and textures into her collections, but somehow she manages to deliver pieces that still exude the refined femininity her brand is known for.

I like to wear this coat either with cropped pants or a dress with high boots. The coat is my centerpiece, so I don’t feel the need to fuss with anything else underneath it. As per protocol, I wore a pair of sunnies to protect my eyes from the sun!

Velvet Coat Not Just a Penguin img_012 img_011 img_006 img_001

Fashionably Sun-Protected with a Velvet Blazer

Keeping ourselves fashionably sun-protected during fall isn’t too difficult, especially when our cold season repertoire consists of stylish coats and blazers. This year, my outerwear of choice revolves around velvet. I adore velvet blazers for a number of reasons that go beyond its popularity on the Fall/Winter 2016 runways, and today I’m going to show why it  has become such a favorite.

Sun-safe and glamourous

In a nutshell, velvet is a glamorous, sun-safe fabric. It is estimated to have a UPF of 50—especially the dark ones—making it a great fabric choice for clothes that protect us from the sun. The thick material is  also effective in keeping ourselves warm in the cold season.

While velvet trended on the runways as a nod to the grunge of the 90’s, this fabric offers more than its gorgeous lustre: it also has sun-protective benefits that can see itself through seasons. Clearly, for a woman who lives a sun-safe lifestyle, velvet is more than a trend!

Creating a street-appropriate outfit

This printed velvet blazer from Zara has become my go-to for fall. It has a paisley print that lent a little more festivity. To create a street-appropriate outfit, I paired it with 7 For All Mankind Destroyed Jeans. The combination resulted to a modern, aristocratic look. The two trends perfected that kind of high-low dressing that rakes in street style points.

To finish off the outfit, I paired it with round-toe ankle boots from Brunello Cucinelli. As always, I wore a good pair of sunglasses with UV coating on the lenses. We tend to neglect protection for both our eyes and skin. But even when we don’t feel the heat outdoors, strong UV rays harm us year-round, making us prone to developing skin damage or skin cancer in the winter months. So dress up well, and go for full coverage!

img_068_retouching_v01_vis01 img_062